Diabetes with a smile–

beaches

Ha! Not MY favorite time of the year, that’s for sure. We got hit with eight inches on Saturday — beautiful, but messy and dangerous.

I was in NYC with my children, celebrating my birthday (NOT revealing the number!). 🙂 We went to the Met to see the exquisite Christmas Tree, sometimes referred to as the Angel Tree, and Neapolitan Baroque Creche. It’s a sight to behold, regardless of the religion you profess (or don’t). It’s art, at its finest. Put it on your calendar for next year. You won’t regret it — I promise!

“Angel Tree” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

While we were strolling through the museum, enjoying the VALETIN DE BOULOGNE — BEYOND CARAVAGGIO Exhibit, it was snowing outside; like CRAZY! We were warm, relaxed, and hungry, so we headed to The Petrie Court Cafe, one of the Met’s restaurants, for lunch — so,Let It Snow!

We had worked up an appetite and feasted on food fit for royalty. Most museum food doesn’t do it for me, but our lunch was deeeelicious! I won’t write the specifics — just the thought of our epicurean delights is making me salivate! We were full, and moved on to the remainder of our journey in the museum. Evidently, we walked off that full feeling, because…

Later, after viewing some other exhibits, we returned for dessert. Yes, you heard me right — DESSERT! Something I normally skip when out to lunch/dinner; but, C’mon, it was my birthday. I indulged in a serving of dark, chocolate fudge cake with a small scoop of cappuccino gelato — there go my salivary glands, again! Joking, I said to my kids, “What! No candle?” They chuckled, as my daughter reached into her purse and pulled one out. I laughed knowing they couldn’t light it, but just to be on the safe side, I said, “We’ll get thrown out, if you light that!” At that very moment, my son lit a match and they quickly sung Happy Birthday to You, as I made a wish and blew out the candle!

🙂 That was one of many laughs we had on Saturday. More took place in two Uber rides through the snow (to and from Penn Station), along with a serenade — Happy Birthday to You, just prior to my train’s departure. They made sure that the guests at the restaurant, the visitors and employees at the Met, and the passengers on the train wished me a HB! My stomach hurt from laughing; a multitude of thanks to my chickadees for making yet another birthday — SO much fun. Contrary to research, we believe that a sense of humor is genetic — actually, we know that for sure.

BACK TO WEATHER AND APPETITEand T2D. I don’t know about your inclinations, regarding food and the change in weather, but I know that I definitely BULK UP in winter. Let’s face it, if you live in the “change of season” states, you’ll be cold in the winter months and looking for a nice warm soup or stew, hot coffee or tea. For me, the warm summer weather signals salads and cold drinks.

That being said, it’s been really cold here in the Northeast of the U.S. and so, along with donning my long johns, I HAVE been drinking a lot of herbal tea and eating heavier meals (while monitoring my blood sugar, I might add). HOLY METEOROLOGY! Our temperatures ranged from the 20’s on Saturday (with 8″ of the white stuff), moving up to 46 degrees today (Wednesday), to a predicted possibility of 60 tomorrow!

Jones Beach, of course!

CRAZY! BEACH WEATHER! So where will that put our food cravings tomorrow? Chicken salad, tuna salad, big fat Greek Salad? Dare I say, ice cream? NOOOOooooo. I won’t go that far. Just as the outdoor plants are getting confused with the roller-coaster weather, our internal barometers may not know which way to direct us in terms of food. But fret not, It’s “suspected” that the thermostat will take a dive into the 20’s come Saturday, and then rise up once again during next week.

What to eat? That is the question — not Shakespeare!

It matters not the weather (feeling British), the bottom line is that this Type 2 Diabetic must stay on track — regardless of the barometer.

Monitor blood sugar levels

Exercise — in my case, walk, walk, WALK

Eat properly (Yes, we ALL know what that means!)

Monitor glucose regularly

Started WALKING!

Enjoy the journey, folks. We’re going to be just fine, 🙂 despite the weather.

It’s incredible the impact the weather can have on us. The SUN was out today, and I felt like a million dollars $$$.

What a difference a day makes!

I ate healthy food — breakfast, lunch, dinner. (Okay, lunch did include french fries — but I didn’t eat many of them). Many posts ago, I declared — the French Fries will NEVER go. I figure it in with my carbs.

Tonight the MOON was enormous and as full as it could be. The STARS glittered across the sky, predicting good weather for tomorrow and an increase in romance tonight — a star-filled sky has that effect, doesn’t it?

The forecast in my area is sunny with some clouds and 66 degrees for Wednesday, March 23, and I CAN’T WAIT! You know where I’ll be headed…

What a difference a day makes!

Bill from Simple Living Over 50 has been posting about the effect of the time change on his routine. It’s pretty incredible — how the world turns… Check out his blog! It’s interesting, inventive, and he’s also a T2D.Spring ahead/Fall back definitely has it’s effect on our moods, appetite, sleeping habits — the whole Magilla! With it, though, comes the change in weather; in my area = SUN, FINALLY! The sunnier, warmer weather conditions are improving everyone’s mood, that’s for sure. Even the grocery stores seem move civilized than in the past few months.

The SUN, the MOON (huge tonight!) and the STARS all fit into the way our lives “spin.”

Have a good one, folks, and enjoy the nice weather. SOON, very soon, our stores will be filled with local vegetables and fruits — FRIENDS OF THE DIABETICS!— and we’ll be eating and feeling healthier.

This baby finally opened completely this morning. So pretty. For a moment, I actually believed that Spring had Sprung!

But, Alas! It’s 10:00 p.m. and the view from my bedroom windows looks more like New Years than Spring. IT’S SNOWING! I know it was predicted, but I was in denial — Big time. I just made a mistake and checked the weather station. What was I thinking??? My area is expected to get 2 – 6 inches of the white stuff!

My poor baby daffodil will probably be dead by morning, along with its “siblings” and the lone crocus, “twins,” cold and covered by the…”S” word.

I’m telling myself, —it will be fine, soon it will be beach weather, and this will have just been a bad dream. Soon.

AND, as the weather warms up, so will my diabetes management routine. Lots of rough spots this winter; I’ve admitted it. I flipped and flopped like crazy, but I gave it my best shot.

Everyone I spoke with talked about going to barbecues, swimming at the beach or in pools, or getting out of town. It was a busy weekend. In the northeast, where I live, people were heading for the “hills,” which could mean the mountains upstate, or the beaches on Long Island and the Jersey Shore. The weather cooperated, so there were lots of happy smiles on this (Long) island.

I’m still hearing leftover fireworks in the distance.

Tomorrow will be back to work for many and a continuation of vacation for some. Whichever category you fit into, I hope you enjoy every minute of it in a healthy way. Keep on track, watch your blood sugar levels, and enjoy lots of healthy meals.